Sozin's Aftermath
by Koryne
Summary: It's been three months since Sozin's Comet, and there's no sign of Aang after his defeat to Phoenix King Ozai. The Earth Kingdom as fallen. Now, the search is on again as both friends and enemies race to find the Avatar. But how far can they go, with comrades missing and the Fire Lord hunting them. Will the answer they find be the one they seeked?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi there and thanks for deciding to read my story! I first wrote this back in 2012 and published it on DeviantART (under the title _Aftermath_ ). Now, I want to finish what I started, making changes to the original as I go. Enjoy!**

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It was dark. The only source of light coming from the faint glow of a lamp hidden from view, heavy steps echoing off the dank walls. The girl watched silently in the corner of her cell, the light shining across her dark face, as the guards did their rounds. A few moments passed and the hall was quiet once more. Lying still on the cold stone floor, she waiting a couple more minutes before letting the tension leave her body.

Taking a deep breath, the young girl pulled herself up, wincing as her muscles fought against her. Staring blankly past the bars of her prison, she relished the calm silence around her. No shouting. No clamor of armor. None of the harassment. As the time passed, she shifted her gaze down to her battered body. The multicolored bruises on her wrists; knife marks, new and old, marred her once smooth skin. Checking herself over, she found new cuts with no recollection of how they got there.

"Hmph, must've blacked-out again." She muttered and smirked, "I'm sure she enjoyed that..."

Slowly, the girl twirled her arm in the air. Little droplets formed around her, growing bigger quickly thanks to the humidity of the room. Once she had enough, the cell lit up in a dazzling blue light as the waterbender quickly healed as many of the wounds as she could.

Moving from one cut to the other, she bit her lip to keep herself quiet as they stitched themselves back together. The last thing she wanted was a guard to catch her. They don't take it well when the 'filthy savage' uses her forbidden power. She made that mistake not long after being captured. Because of the effect healing has on the water, a guard noticed and made sure the waterbender wouldn't do it again. Weeks went by before she dared to try again.

Wounds partially healed, the sound of metal shoes began to echoed into her cell. Quickly, the bender pulled the water from her arm and drank it. There was a saltiness to it, not horrible, but chances were it would be days before she could drink again.

The battered girl struggled to stand, gripping the wall to stabilize herself as the outline of Fire Nation soldiers appeared in the doorway. Hatred filled her when the light lit their skullmasks—that blank stare, the eyes nothing more than a black pit. After three months of looking into those eyes, with nothing looking back, it was very unnerving.

As hard as she tried, the waterbender did her best to look strong in their presence. That image faulting when her knees buckled underneath her, swaying for a couple of seconds before the guard grabbed her thin arm, half dragging her out

"That time is it?" she asked, with no reply.

They proceeded to put iron cuffs on her. Leading the way out, she followed the twists and turns of the hall she had taken so many times in her three months there, until they reached their destination. Before them were a twin set of iron door, plainly decorated. Two more soldiers stood guard at the entrance. As the party moved forward, the soldiers opened the doors.

It took the bender a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. For the size of the room, there were only four torches, one in each corner; making it very hard to see anything. Soon, she was standing between the familiar pillars. The ones that restrained the girl to the pleasure of her tormentor. Secured to the chains that hung from them, the firebenders pulled, raising the small form until her feet were a couple of inches off the ground. And there they left her.

"When can I expect my visitor?" she asked.

Like lightning, the taller of the two soldiers spun around; flames surrounding his fist.

"AHHH!" the young bender cried out.

Turning her head away, she strained against her binds as the fire burned her side. Bellowing laughter echoed through the room as the firebender left, followed by a metallic boom of the iron doors closing. Despite the noise of the heavy doors, the firebender's taunting laugh echoed in her head. She panted at the pain coursing through her body. The smell of burning flesh and cotton filled her lungs.

A small flash caught her eye. Taking deep breaths, the injured girl focused on the far side of the room. She could heard the sound of chains and grunting.

"W-who's...there..?" she called out.

Seconds passed. Then suddenly, a small orb of fire appeared, revealing the figure of a man. He seemed to be in a similar predicament as her, his arms chained and collared.

"Hello...!" she panted, cringing at the fresh wound.

The man lifted his head and looked in her direction. In the glow of the flames, she saw that he was kneeling, his toned body flexing against the chains. Searching his face, golden eyes sparkled in the light of the fire; his skin was like porcelain...but the left side of his face was marred by an old injury—

"ZUKO!?"

Hearing his name, he looked closer at the girl. Her long dark hair was a tangled messy, as if it hadn't been washed in a very long time. Her chocolate skin covered in scars, leaving faint marks behind. The clothes she wore were dirty and in ruins, but appeared to have been blue at one time.

Ocean blue eyes looked into his golden ones and they lit up in recognition, "Katara, is that you?"

All thoughts of the pain left her at the sight of a friendly face. She smiled for the first time in a long time.

"Yeah, it's me. Wha-what are you doing here?" She paused, "I...I thought you were dead..."

Zuko stared at the waterbender. He couldn't believe that he was talking to her, it's been so long since he's talked to someone. He was no longer alone. He was about to speak when the sound of light footsteps echoed from behind him.

"Well, well...I see that my two favorite prisoners are getting along."

There was a quick movement―a crack of lightning―a powerful bright light hit the chains that held Zuko; causing his body to tense up, fighting back a scream. Laughter once more filled the room as his torturer stepped into the light.

"Now, let the fun begin."

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 **Thanks for reading til the end! I hope you enjoyed it and come back, I'm in the middle of reviewing my other chapters and then will start writing the rest. Feedback is welcomed, it's been years since I had any**


	2. Chapter 2

" _Sokka, please! Don't do this!"_

" _I have to, there's no other choice. Now go!"_

 _"Suki, c'mon! Let's go!"_

 _"NO! I'm not leaving you Sokka!"_

 _"You have too! I'll only slow you down, at least this way you can have a head start." Sokka reached over and kissed the Earth Kingdom girl, holding her tight to him. Wishing things had ended differently. Before his mind could change, he pushed the warrior into the bender._

" _Toph, take her as far away from here." The blind girl nodded, hooking her arm around Suki and led her away. The older girl struggled the whole time._

" _Please—don't Sokka! Please!"_

" _I said GO!"_

 _Picking up a large knobby branch, the wolf warrior stumbled his way towards the oncoming Fire Nation soldiers. Held back by Toph, Suki shrieked as the earthbender put distance between them and the battlefield. Sokka looked back a moment, fighting back tears._

 _There was nothing Suki could do but watch as Sokka held his ground. Connecting a few well aimed hits. It wasn't long however until he was overpowered. A cry pierced the air, thanks to a soldier viciously striking the Water Tribe boy's injured leg. Plummeting to the ground in a heap._

" _SOKKA!"_

* * *

"NO!"

The girl shot out of bed. She clenched her chest, her heart racing. Gasping, she looked around her surroundings only to see familiar cave walls. The young woman gave out a deep sigh as her breathing steadied. It had been a while since she had that nightmare.

She sat there for a few minutes, playing the scene once more in her head. Tears dripping.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry..." she whispered.

Slowly, the warrior got up. Rolling her mat, she placed it with the other fourteen mats that laid against the cavern wall. Close by were the supply bins; filled with water, food, fire wood, and anything else they found useful on their travels. Reaching in, she pulled out a peach and a small piece of cheese.

Voices and the sound of children echoed through the cave. Making her way out, late morning light welcomed her. Feeling rejuvenated by the crisp fall air. The clearing ahead was full of children; the young ones playing various games, some of the older boys were sparing, earthbenders taking lessons from the one they called 'The Blind Bandit'.

Eating her peach, she watched a small group of girls practicing stances the Kyoshi Warrior had taught them. It wasn't long before the master earthbender realized she was there.

"Hey sleepy-head, you're up late."

Looking blankly at her students, Toph gave them instructions and walked over.

"Yeah, sorry about that," the older girl replied, "I didn't sleep well."

The blind girl stared at the ground, "I know what you mean. Hard to believe it's been three months already." She shuffled the dirt under her, "Hey—at least you're not sick anymore. What do you think you had?"

Suki coughed, choking on the food in her mouth, "Um...I don't know...probably some sort of bug."

The teenager looked away from the girl. She knew that behind those pale green eyes, even though the bender could see nothing, she knew everything. Sensing her friend's avoidance, Toph changed the subject.

"Could you fix my braids? I think they're starting to fall out again."

"Of course."

Sitting next to Toph, Suki recalled the first time she asked her...

* * *

" _Um...Suki?"_

" _Yeah?"_

" _Do you know how to braid hair?"_

 _Suki looked at her confused, "I know how, why?"_

 _The earthbender kicked her foot across the ground, "I was thinking...we haven't hear anything from Zuko or Katara, so it's most likely they're...anyway—I wanna do something to remember her."_

 _She paused for a second and continued, "I decided to wear a braid in her honor." Pausing again, the girl smiled, "I was thinking about wearing her hair loopies, but they're so annoying! I can't stand them. No idea how she could."_

 _Suki laughed at this, the first time in weeks._

" _Okay then, come here."_

 _Taking a seat next to her, Toph could feel her hair falling from it's usual bun, relaxing at the gentle tug and pull. A couple minutes passed._

" _Finished." Suki told her._

 _Lifting her hand up, the blind girl checked her work. It wasn't what she expected. Toph assumed Suki would put all of her hair into the braid. Instead, the warrior made a small one that laid across the left side of her face, the rest hung loose. She loved it._

 _Smiling, Toph tilted her head toward the older girl, a hint of tears in her eyes, "Thank you."_

* * *

"Done."

Placing her hands on the braids, she inspected them. Her black hair had grown slightly in the three months since Sozin's Comet, falling above her lower back. And now she wore two braids, one on each side of her face.

Satisfied, they sat in silence, observing the children around them.

"So...do you wanna talk about it?" Toph asked, "About Sokka or...anything else?"

Suki didn't move. So much was going on in her head, she didn't know what to do. The teenager had a feeling the girl knew her secret, she'd been told many times of the earthbender's abilities. There was no doubt in her mind that whenever Toph focused on her, she could feel her heartbeat—and that of the little life inside her.

Carefully holding her stomach, the mother-to-be looked at the girl next to her, "How long have you known?"

Toph leaned back, her hands behind her head, "About a month or so. Wasn't sure if it was really there or not, then it started to get stronger." She paused, tilting her head towards Suki, "Did he know?"

Tears formed in her eyes, "No...I didn't even know until two weeks after...after that day."

A small smile appeared as she thought of that night. It was the night before Katara left to find her mother's killer. The air was warm and calm. Earlier that day, Sokka asked her to come by his tent not long after sunset. As she made her way to him at the designated time, the Earth Kingdom girl bumped into Zuko, who wanted to speak to Sokka.

Embarrassed, Suki let Zuko through and went back to her own tent. Twenty minutes passed before going back out, this time with no issues.

* * *

" _Sokka, are you there?" she whispered._

 _Within seconds, Sokka's head popped out and quickly waved her in, "C'mon! Before someone else shows up."_

 _Once inside, she was awed at the candles and petals scattered all over the tent floor. Sitting across from her, the Water Tribe boy was full of jitters, brushed his hair aside and blushed._

" _The reason I asked you here was...um..." fumbling around he mumbled to himself, "Where...is—ahh!" Finding what he was looking for, he took her hands gently in his._

" _During my stay in the Northern Water Tribe, I learned about a custom my tribe had forgotten." Reaching behind him, his hand clutched something tightly._

" _When couples are in love, the men would carve a necklace for the one they wished to marry." At this, Sokka opened his hand, revealing a jade carving attached to a blue-teal ribbon. Suki's eyes widened as he presented it to her. "And in turn, the women would wear it as a sign of their betrothal and marriage."_

 _Blushing even more, the nervous boy continued, "So...I guess what I'm asking is...Suki, will you marry me?"_

 _Suki stared at him in disbelief. Watching her, the boy hoped she'd say something, anything. The silence was killing him._

 _Taking a deep breath, the girl pulled her hands away, "Sokka, I don't know what to say..."_

 _Discouraged, Sokka looked down in embarrassment. Then he felt the necklace leave his grasp. Jolting up, the face looking at him was a smiling one, the necklace already tied around her neck. Laughing at his confusion, Suki hugged him._

" _Sokka, of course!"_

 _Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him. Surprised, it took a moment before he kissed her back, pulling the fellow warrior closer as they tumbled to the ground. They wrestled a bit before Sokka managed to get the high ground. He looked at the girl underneath him lovingly, brushing her auburn hair out of her face._

" _I love you." he said softly._

 _Smiling, she reached up for a kiss, " I love you too..."_

* * *

That night was their first, and only, time. A time she'll never forget. A tear ran down her face as she thought of of the precious memory.

"Do you think you can tell me if it's a boy or a girl?"

Toph thought for a moment, "I think so. I can't right now because it's so small, but probably in a couple of months."

Suki smiled, lightly touching the jade pendant, feeling the fan and sword engraved into it.

"Thanks Toph, that'd be great."

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 **Hey there! Hope you didn't mind all the flashbacks, the next couple of chapters won't have so much**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi guys! Sorry it took me so long to post the next chapter (hope it was worth the wait!) To the guest review: I haven't given much thought yet to what happened to Momo and Appa, I figured I'll come up with something when I get to it.**

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"C'mon! Put you backs into it you lazy lemurs!" Shouted Toph.

All day long, the sifu pushed her students. Their exercise: to bend a boulder up in the air, hold it for thirty seconds, and then shoot it five feet forward. So far, none of them completed the task. Across the clearing, away from the dust and rubble created by the struggling earthbenders, Suki taught her own students.

Unlike Toph, who taught both boys and girls, her class consisted mostly of girls. Usually, the non-bender boys gathered in the middle of the clearing; either racing, wrestling, or sparring each other. Sometimes, the boys got so into it, Toph was the only one who could break them up.

Looking at the sky, Suki saw that the sun had an hour or two before setting.

"Toph!" She called, "The sun's starting to go down, that's enough training for today."

Staring blindly in her direction, Toph snorted before agreeing, "Fine."

The tired children smiled, but those didn't last long. Turning to her students, the earthbender pointed to the ground. "Before you lazy boulders get comfy, I want you all to do twenty push ups and two laps. Now go!"

Quickly, the young benders fell to the ground, doing as they were instructed. Facing her own students, the Kyoshi Warrior led them through their ending stances before letting them go.

Excused, they went off to do their nightly chores. In groups of three, each set completed their assigned tasks; fetching fire wood, getting water, setting up for dinner, or cleaning up. Suki's job was preparing dinner while it was Toph's to make sure the chores were done and keep an eye on the children. Tonight's dinner was turtle-duck stew―a rarity—bread and wild vegetables, with fruit for dessert. By the time the sun had set, dinner was ready, the fire stoked, and all the children were sitting; waiting for their meal.

Huddled around the fire, Suki poured a scoopful of stew into wooden bowls and handed them to a young boy named Haku, who passed them out. At the same time, one of the girls gave everyone a slice of bread. Finished, the teenager gave the two children their share and took her place by the fire. The girl went to her friends while Haku sat next to Suki, cuddling up to her. She looked down at him and smiled, gently playing with his hair.

"How was your day, Haku?"

Mouth full of food, he swallowed. "Good, Miss Suki! I followed Toran and the others and helped get the food—I even caught one of the turtle-ducks!" A wide smile spread across his face, looking up at the girl with pride.

"And it tastes great! You did a very good job." She smiled back at him and he laughed.

Across the fire, Toph listened to the two. Haku was the first kid to join them. The girls found the young earthbender a week after Sozin's Comet. Orphaned, Suki took him in and since then, the two have become very close. _He must see her as an older sister,_ she thought, _maybe even as a mother._

"Hey, Miss Toph?"

Lifting her head, she looked in the direction of the voice.

"Yeah, Haku?"

Timid, he looked at Suki who nodded her head in encouragement, and asked, "I was wondering if you could tell us the story of Aang again? We haven't heard it in awhile."

At this, the other children stopped talking and looked at Toph, hoping that she'll share stories of her travels. Feeling everyone's eyes on her, the earthbender sighed in defeat.

"Alright." Cries of happiness filled the air. "BUT—!" she cut them off, "if anyone talks or makes noises, I won't tell anymore!"

Suki laughed, _that'll keep them quiet_. Everyone's attention was on the blind earthbender as she told her stories of Aang, the last airbender. Often, Suki found herself as drawn in as the children, for she only knew a few of them.

"...and that's when the lemur jumped on Sokka, stealing his peach. 'I'll name him Momo!' Aang exclaimed."

The children laughed, Of all of Toph's stories, the ones with Sokka and Momo were their favorites. Time went by as she told them of their adventures in Ba Sing Se and the Earth Kingdom.

"...so now we're stranded in the desert, and the only thing we found growing was this cactus. And Sokka, 'the mighty one', sliced it in half." Pretending to have a club, she mimicked the movement. "Thirsty, he and Momo drank it all. It wasn't long before Sokka went into a whole new world of crazy!"

Getting up, she walked in circles, acting like she was trying to balance on something, waving her arms all over the place. Everyone burst into laughter. It was a strange sight to see the stern earthbender walk around like a drunkard. Another hour passed, all that was left of the fire were burning embers. Only Toph, Suki and Haku remained by the fire, everyone else had gone to bed in the cave. The warrior looked down at the sleeping child on her lap, carefully picking him up and setting him down next to the other children.

"Good night, Haku." She leaned down and kissed his forehead.

She made her way back to the fire and sat across her blind friend, "We're running low on supplies, I was thinking of taking Toran and Sung to help. If we leave early in the morning, we'd be back by mid-afternoon."

"That sounds good, I'll have Leena help me keep all the kids in che–"

Bolting up, Toph faced in the direction of the outlining forest. Alerted, Suki followed her lead, "What is it?"

"Not sure," she whispered, settling into her stance. Focusing, the earthbender felt someone walking through the trees, coming closer and closer to the camp. Suki looked at the girl, "Well?"

Tensing, she didn't move. Suddenly her blind eyes widened, "Haru!?"

"What!" Suki said surpised, "Haru's here?"

"Yeah, huh, good to know our system works."

Suki nodded in agreement. Not long after the comet, Toph and Haru came up with a way to leave messages for each other using earthbending. The warrior didn't know exactly how it worked, but she was impressed.

"Haru!" Toph called out, "We're over here!"

Now hearing the leaves rustle, Suki watched as the older earthbender emerged out of the forest. "Hi guys! It's been awhile, how are you?"

Toph blushed lightly when he hugged her, "We're good. We've got more kids now."

Suki smiled at the young girl, and hugged Haru in turn, " It's great to see you. What are you doing here?"

At this, Haru looked away and took a step back. "Actually...I heard some news...from the Fire Nation, I thought you'd want to hear." He sat down and continued, "I'm not sure if it's true or not, it could be a trap for all I know."

Suki sat next to him, anxiety building up within her, "What is it...what's the news?"

"It's about Katara and Zuko..." he paused before lifting his head, "and it's not good."


	4. Chapter 4

**Welcome to Chapter Four! To the guest review: Sorry but this story's about the five of them.**

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"I swear...I don't—AHH!"

Katara pulled against her binds as the sharp blade dug into her flesh. She gasped as her interrogator pulled it out, tears running down her face. "Please," she begged, "I don't know..."

"Don't lie to me, _peasant!_ " The Fire Lord spat, holding the dagger to the girl's face. "I know how close the Avatar is to you, how much he cherishes you. You're the one person that must know all of his secrets—such as where his hiding place might be?"

Eyes closed, not wishing to see the threat before her, the waterbender stayed silent. She kept her mind busy, trying to ignore the pain. Her thoughts immediately went to Zuko. Two weeks had gone by since she saw him, his purpose becoming clear once the Fire Lord arrived. Not taking any time to get to the point. While one was questioned, the other paid for any resistance. The Water Tribe girl watched in awe as Zuko suffered silently for her refusal. She only wished she could do the same.

Pressing the knife against the girl's cheek, her tormentor leaned closer to her face. "I'll ask you one more time—Where. Is. The Avatar?"

Feeling blood trickle down, Katara opened her eyes, staring at the golden eyes burning into hers. "You'll never know, Azula." She smiled as the girl in front of her began to grow with anger. " You'll never find him," she said softly, "but he'll find you. And when he does, you better be prepared."

Enraged, the firebender slapped the girl across the face, leaving behind a faint burn mark. "When he shows himself, I _WILL_ kill him! Make no mistake about that."

Turning her back, Azula paced back and forth, playing with the knife in her hand. After several mintures, she stopped, realizing there was only one thing left. The Fire Lord smiled, pushing her grown-in bangs out of her face. Four months had passed she defeated the peasant and traitor. The firebender did everything possible to break her—torture, starvation, humiliation. There was a time she decided to leave the prisoner alone with the male guards. It was a play she hope would bring the girl into submission, however it backfired. Instead, the waterbender found a new fight in her. That's when the Fire Lord discovered she was a bloodbender, and higher precautions were taken.

Although many saw the Avatar fall at the hands of her father, there were still no reports of a body found. _And he has cheated death twice already,_ she thought. There was only one option. Facing her prisoner, she smiled. "But of course, what a better way to draw him out—than to sacrifice the one thing he holds most dear."

Dread crept up her throat, Katara's voice cracked, "He'll–he'll never come. He knows how important he is to the world."

"Aha hahaha!" Like lightning, Azula was in front of her, digging the dagger into her shoulder. "Stupid girl..." Her voice chillingly calm as the firebender twisted the blade.

The Water Tribe girl bit her lip, willing herself not to cry out, "H-he won't c-c-come..."

"Oh, but he will my dear. He would never let his _precious_ little waterbender die for him."

Viciously, she pulled the dagger out, taking pleasure from the scream that followed. Stepping away, the Fire Lord turned to the guards that stood by. "You can put her back, I'm done for today." Leaving, she gave them one last order. "And bandage her wounds," she grinned, "we wouldn't want the poor girl to die before her hero can save her."

Weak, Katara fell to the ground with a thud. Welcoming the consuming blackness.

* * *

Footsteps echoed down the long damp hall as the Fire Lord made her way to a cell she didn't visit very often. And she didn't need too. Her method of torture for this prisoner proved itself without fail. Reaching her destination, she ordered the soldier on guard to open the gate. An ear-wrenching creak echoed throughout the small room. The young man inside turned away, avoiding the golden stare.

"Well, Sokka...son of Hakoda, chief of the Southern Water Tribe...it's been awhile since we last spoke. How long do you think it's been? A month...?"

No reply.

Signing, she crossed her arms and walked over to the wall opposite him. "It's such a shame really, I think you and I could have interesting conversations if you put some effort into it."

Catching his eye, she held the gaze. "Your sister sure does. Doesn't say much, she likes to repeat herself though..." The firebender paused, making sure she had her captive's attention. "Her screams however are my favorite," glee flashed across her eyes at his shaking body, "finding new ways to make them, now that's the fun part–"

Full of rage, the wolf warrior charged at her, only a foot away before the chains stopped him. She was so close. So close, yet so far, the clinking of metal mocked him.

"If you touch her, I'll kill you!" He growled.

The bender just laughed, "Oh really now, and how do you suppose you accomplish that?"

His binds jingled as his arms dropped, the fight in him fading.

Azula continued, "You're a failure, Sokka...always have been, always will be. Both of your plans to attack the Fire Nation have failed. Sacrificing the people that fought for you.

"Even that Earth Kingdom girl gave up her freedom for you. Sure, it was a fluke that you managed to save her—But you put her life in jeopardy when you attacked my father's warships! She may have gotten away with that earthbender, but in exchange, I got your sister." She grinned as the boy's knees hit the ground, looking down in shame.

"I also heard the story about your princess, the one that turned into the moon. I have to admit, that's an amazing feat...but weren't you the one charged with protecting her? If you were the man you believe to be, you should've prevented it, should've kept her safe like you promised. Now that I think about it, you're just as weak as you are a failure." She walked over to his slumped form, her eyes glaring at him, "What kind of _man_ would let the women in his life sacrifice themselves for him?

"Your princess. Your lover. Your sister—Your mother."

Tears streamed down his face as she left, slamming the gate shut behind her.

"Oh!" Turning on her heels, the firebender called to him. "I almost forgot to tell you, the reason for my visit. I thought you'd like to know that within a week, the Avatar will be captured."

"Wha–?" Confusion filled Sokka's face, "How? Aang's already dead, Ozai killed him!"

"Yes, well I thought I killed him back in Ba Sing Se." Azula took a moment to examine her nails, "The reason I'm telling you is because of how I plan to do it." Golden eyes burned into ocean blue.

"Live bait."

"What do you mean?" he reply softly.

"I think you know." Her eyes were unyeilding, "In two weeks time, there'll be a public execution in Ba Sing Se. The death of Katara the Waterbender!" She sneered, "When the Avatar hears this, he'll come to her aid. Then he'll be ours."

"NO!" Cried Sokka, once more pulling on his chains in vain. "He's dead, I saw it! You can't do this!"

"But I can!" She yelled, "And if he's truly dead as you claim, then what's the point in keeping her alive?"

"Please..." he begged, " please don't do this! Let me talk to her."

"Don't worry," she said slyly. "You'll see her soon enough."

Leaving, she was almost out of view when she made a realization. "Maybe you'll even see Zuko, if my father allows it. I'm sure he'll love to use Zuzu as an example. Good day, Sokka."

Once she was gone, the boy collapsed. His body shaking out of control, gripping his sides to stop the tremors. "Why..." he mumbled, tears welding up. "Why is everyone paying for my mistakes?" Letting himself fall forward, he rested his head on the cold floor.

 _WHY...?!_

* * *

 **In case there's any confusion, this chapter takes place a couple of days before chapter three.**

 **So the pattern seems to be posting two chapters, then taking a break XD Hopefully it doesn't stay like that. I'm not sure yet, but I might post little mini chapters;** **they shouldn't have much to do with the storyline, but with the characters (ex. Suki and Haku). Any thoughts on that?**


	5. Haku

**So I ended up doing a "character story", it's a prequel of sorts.**

 **To Guest: I** _NEVER_ **said I didn't care about Appa and Momo. It's just at this moment they don't have a place in the story.**

 **To crapshak50: Thanks! I know you wanted Sokkla, I hope that was a good substitute. As to how Azula found out about Yue and their mom; I figured she heard about Yue from the soldiers and army reports, the same idea with their mom, putting two-and-two together that the "last Southern Water Tribe bender" was Katara's mom.**

* * *

He couldn't believe the day he had! Out of all the days to appear, he chose this day. The Avatar! He got to see _the_ Avatar—on _HIS_ birthday! The young boy happily skipped beside his mother. Repeating the same story to anyone they shared the road with.

"Mommy, I saw him! I saw the Avatar!"

His mother looked at his smiling face, enjoyed to see his unending excitement. "Amazing isn't it? It's a shame though, all the damage he caused."

"That's nothing, there's plenty of earthbenders there to fix it."

The woman shook her finger, "That doesn't matter. Honestly, what was he thinking?"

Ignoring his mom, the boy thought back on today's events.

His mother was a talented earthbender, who used her skills to make magnificent pottery. It was often that she journeyed from their village, Shou Long, to Omashu; to sell her wares. Taking her place on the market street, people watched amazed as the woman showed her skills. She effortlessly kneaded the clay, tossing it into the air as she bent it into the final piece. Her elegant moves capturing the attention of passersby.

Next to her, Haku practiced his own skills. Creating little trinkets that he gave away to anyone that wanted one. It was on a day like this when a commotion came from the mailing center. Curious, the young bender looked up to see three people in one of the mailing carts, sliding down the chutes at a massive rate. He was shocked, they were kids! Their clothes were strange, two dressed in blue and the third wore yellow and orange. As the cart reached the end of the ramp, the young boy watched surprised as the cart magically rose above the ledge, aimed at their stall.

Luckily, they avoided him. Unfortunately the same couldn't be said of the cabbage merchant, whose cart was completely destroyed. Now that the earthbender got a closer look, he saw the arrow tattoos on the bald boy, who shouted as they passed.

"Sorry!"

Haku started to giggle when the man shouted into the air, covered in cabbage leaves. In turn he received a scolding look from his mother, who sent her son to help the merchant clean up. Word later got around that the culprits were in fact the Avatar and his friends. Throughout the rest of the day, he told everyone what happened that morning. Excited by the surprising events, he continued to share his story with his friends at home.

Months had gone by since that amazing day, and only a week since the sun turned dark. His mother and father spent the past few days in hushed conversations with the other adults in his village. The children took no notice.

Haku was playing behind his home when he smelled something odd. Something that burned the inside of his nose and throat. Appearing suddenly, it was similar to the kitchen fire his mother stoked, but this smell gave off a disgusting taste to it. That's when screams pierced the air, multiple people shouting, sharing the same word.

"FIRE!"

Panic slowly rose within the young boy as the screaming continued. Frozen in place, he watched thick black smoke rise above the rooftops of the neighboring houses. Although the sky was clear, thunder rumbled the ground. Scared, the child looked around frantically.

"Mommy! Daddy!"

Tears began to form in his forest green eyes. He cringed as the thunder turned into the stomping of feet, unrelenting in their destruction.

"Haku!"

His mother came running out of the house, her face smudged with soot. She hugged her son tightly. Lingering her hold, she reluctantly let him go. Looking down at her child, she blinked back the tears threatening to fall free.

"Haku, listen to me!" she said sternly. "You know that game you like to play?"

He nodded, "Badger-mole?"

"Yes, I want you to play it. Right now."

The boy looked at his mom confused, she hated it when he played his game. She always scolded him whenever he got caught. "But mommy, you said–"

"I know!" she replied quickly, the screams and smoke coming closer. She took a deep breathe, "I know what I said, this is the one time you're allowed to do it."

Haku looked at her surprised. A deafening boom shook him out of his stupor, an earthen wall created by the woman protected them. "NOW, Haku!"

Quickly, the child scampered off, bending a hole into the earth. Going down and down and down. Her eyes glistened with tears as she watch her child disappear into the ground. Knowing this most likely will be the last time they see each other. Covering up the evidence of his earthbending, the woman headed to the center of the battle, to join her fighting husband. Taking with her orbits of tiny stones, the perfect size to squeeze through the eye openings of those cursed death-masks.

* * *

After the failed plan of _Day of Black Sun_ , Toph got far away from the battlefield, resting at a cove near the mountain range surrounding Omashu. The earthbender hoped to run into members of the White Lotus sent to reclaim the city. A few hours passed when reality set in. Holding her stomach, the warrior rocked back and forth, crying.

"No, no, no, no...!"

Toph knew there was little she could do to comfort the teenager. Sitting at the entrance, she stayed focused at her job. Detecting any sign of movement, wishing to feel a familiar presence. As the days went by, no one appeared. During the nights, both girls searched for food and fire wood, staying inside the cave during the day. A week after they arrived, the earthbender stood guard like she did everyday. Then she felt the echoing tremors.

"They're here." She said grimmly.

Standing next to the girl, Suki scanned the view, "I don't see them."

"They're going through the forest"

Looking farther out, the warrior saw gray smoke rise above the tree tops. "They brought tanks. We can't stay here can we anymore, can we?"

Toph shook her head, "No. Once they pass, we might as well follow their trail. It's unlikely they'll search what they've already checked."

The older girl nodded in agreement. "You keep an eye on them, I'll start packing."

The blind girl chuckled, "Got it! I'll keep my _eye_ on them."

* * *

Haku kept going, going farther than he had before. Down until he couldn't feel the trembles anymore. And there he waited. The longer time went by, the more tired he got. Before he realized it, the boy fell asleep. Groggy, the young earthbender woke up hours later. Thinking about how worried his mother must be, he quickly dug himself out. Happy that the ground wasn't shaking anymore. Reaching the surface, shock filled Haku at the sight of his home, now nothing more than rubble. A horrible stench surrounded him, forcing the boy to cover his nose.

Slowly, he got out of his hole and approached the building. The wood creaked as he walked through it, everything was destroyed. Furniture, his mother's pots, his father's carvings; gone.

"Mommy?" He called, "Daddy?"

No reply. He continued through the wreckage, there were no sign of his parents. Anxiety built within the young boy, tears streaking down his face. The last time he felt like this, Haku got lost in the busy streets of Omashu, happy when he saw his mom appear from the crowd. No such relief came this time.

"Mommy?! Daddy?!"

Exiting the house, his eyes widened at the sight of his once beautiful village. In place of vibrant greens and golds, there was only ash and burning wood. He stumbled across the ruins in the street.

"MOMMY!" He screamed.

Still no answer. Scared, Haku continued towards the center of the village, jumping at the slightest noise. The smell from before grew worse as he got closer. Arriving at his destination, the child cried out at the sight before him. Bodies, both wearing the comforting green and unfamiliar red, littered the ground. He stood there, gazing blankly. Then something caught his eye, an item he'd know his whole life—his mother's amulet.

Shocked, he slowly made his way to the form. In front of him, was his mother, blood seeped through her clothes.

"M-mom...?" he stuttered, shaking her stiff body. "MOMMY!?"

The child kept shaking her, hoping she'd waken. She didn't stir. Devastated, the young boy curled up against his mother, weeping into her chest. Time stood still. Wood creaked and embers burned around him as he cried himself to sleep.

The sun was low when he woke up. Awakened by the sound of voices.

"I can't believe it," said a sad voice. "They just...they just killed everyone."

"Those fire-scum!" Spat the other, "They must be heading to Omashu."

The first sighed in agreement, "Do you feel anything yet?"

"No."

The voices were getting louder. Scared, Haku buried himself closer to his mother. His heart pounding out of his chest.

"THERE!" exclaimed the younger voice, "That way!"

The boy shut his eyes as they approached, fighting back tears. He wanted his mom. He wanted her to wake up, to protect them, to go home with his dad. He wanted...

Their footsteps stop a few feet away from him. Slowly, he peaked open his eyes. In front of him were two girls, both teenagers, one younger than the other.

"It's a kid," said the smaller one. Blind eyes looking blankly at him.

The older one lowered herself to his level. Sad periwinkle eyes looked into his, "Hey, are you alright?"

He stared at the girl, she looked so much like his mom; the same eyes, the same hair, though much shorter. Like lightning, the boy wrapped his arms around her, holding the warrior tightly. Suki froze, surprised by the sudden affection. Slowly, she hugged him back, stroking his hair as he began to settle down. Seeing the woman's body lying next to him

"Is that your mom?"

The young earthbender nodded his head, tightening his hold.

"What's your name?" she asked softly.

"H-haku..." he stampered.

"I'm Suki," she smiled. "And this is Toph."

"Can you tell us what happened?" The earthbender asked.

He shook his head, "I don't know...people were screaming and there was smoke and then mommy said..." he stopped, his eyes watering.

"Shh...it's okay, your safe now." The warrior said comfortingly, "Do you have any other family?"

"Daddy, but I don't know where he is."

Suki looked at the other girl, "Toph?"

Concentrating, the bender couldn't find any sign of life. "No, nothing."

"Well we can't just leave him here. We should take him to the next village."

"Yeah, good idea. But we should go to one away from Omashu."

The Kyoshi Warrior nodded, "You're right." She turned to the child, "Is that alright, Haku? We're gonna take you someplace safe."

"Mmhph..." he mumbled.

"Okay," she said, letting him go. "Is there anything you want to bring with you?"

The boy looked at his mom, pretending to hold something in his hand. "Mommy's necklace."

Getting up, Suki carefully walked over to the woman. She gently removed the amulet, softly placing her head back down. "I'm sorry..." she said quietly. The teenager offered the pendant to the mother's son, who took it swiftly, clutching it in his hands.

"C'mon, we don't wanna stay to long. Other people might come." Toph said.

"Right. Are you ready, Haku?"

The young boy nodded, "Yes."

"Okay," she said, picking him up. "Let's go."

* * *

 **It's sad, but I hope you guys liked it. This WHOLE thing (5 pages!) came from a half page picture description I made when I drew Suki in her _Aftermath_ outfit. I might do more of these as the story goes.**


	6. Chapter 5

**To crapshak50: Glad you like him! I'm thinking of doing some more**

 **To Tiernank: Thanks, I hope you enjoy the rest!**

 **To Guest: And when I think of something I'll work on it, right now I've got one idea I might go with**

* * *

"What!?" Suki yelled, "They're alive?"

"And they're gonna be at Ba Sing Se?" Toph added.

Haru nodded, "It's true. They announced it five days ago, the execution's suppose to take place two hours after sunrise on the solstice."

The warrior froze in disbelief, subconsciously placing her hand on her growing belly. Her voice cracked, "H–have you...have you heard anything about Sokka? Will he be there too?"

The bender looked into her pleading eyes. "No," he shook his head. "No, I haven't heard anything about him. The poster only stated that Zuko and Katara will be hung for treason. Sorry."

Changing the subject, Toph turned to the older boy, "So what do you suggest we do? There's only the three of us, and I bet they'll have a platoon or two on guard. Let alone, Azula. Got any ideas?"

He looked at the girl, "I'm not sure. I've been traveling with The Duke and Pipsqueak, we talked a little before I left to find you. They were thinking the best way to succeed was to make a distraction. Make it as chaotic as possible! But we aren't sure how."

The three teenagers sat quietly, the crackling fire filling the silence. Several minutes passed when the blind girl jumped up. "Of course! Ba Sing Se—Pipsqueak and The Duke!" She turned to Haru, "Have they ever mentioned anyone by the name Longshot or Smellerbee?"

He thought for a moment, "Yes, yeah I think so. Didn't they use to work for a guy...Jet?"

"Yes! Do you know if they're still in Ba Sing Se?"

"I believe so, why?"

The Blind Bandit smiled, " 'Cause I've got an idea."

* * *

"What d'ya mean you're leaving? How am I suppose to watch all of 'em?"

His earthbending teacher rubbed her forhead, "It's like I said Toran, you and Leena are in charge while we go to Ba Sing Se. If anything happens, you gotta lead the kids to the next safe spot. Do you remember how to leave the message for us?"

"Yeeesss..." he mumbled, rolling his eyes.

"I'm serious, Toran!" She yelled, "You've gotta do your best to protect them! They're counting on you two to keep them safe. Understand?"

The boy looked down, "Yes, Sifu Toph."

"Good," she said sternly. "Suki and Sung should be back soon with supplies, there'll be enough to keep you guys happy 'til we get back—and _NO_ giving yourself extra rations."

He nodded.

"Good." The earthbender repeated. "Now go pick up the mats."

Her student bowed and left to help the younger kids. "Also!" Toph called out, "Make sure everything is packed and ready to leave at a moment's notice!" She sensed his hand wave in acknowledgement.

Taking some time to herself, the blind girl practiced her stances. Doing them slowly, one by one. Finishing, she felt Suki and Sung return, carrying the food they brought to the cavern. After giving the children some last minute instructions, Suki took a minute to say goodbye to Haku, hugging him. Toph watched blindly at the teenager, feeling the struggle between the warrior and child.

"Please, don't go Miss Suki!" He cried, tears running down his face, refusing to let her go.

"I have too," she said calmly. "I have to save my friends." Releasing herself from his grip, she took the boy's hand and brought him own to Sung. "Listen, Sung promised me that she'll look after you, okay?"

Squeezing the girl's hand, he continued to plead with her. "Don't go, _please!_ I've gotta feeling...somethin' bad's gonna happen."

Stroking his hair, she smiled reassuringly. "Nothing's going to happen. I'll be back before you know it." Grabbing her travel bag, she leaned down and gave him a kiss, "You be good, okay?"

"Okay," he sulked

Giving him a smile, the Kyoshi Warrior stood by the Blind Bandit, "Ready?"

"Yep," flinging her bag over her shoulder. "Let's go meet Haru and the others."

* * *

"Katara? Katara, are you awake?"

"Yeah..." the waterbender mumbled.

Rising slowly, she blinked as a beam of sunlight hit her eyes. Hands and feet bound, the girl blocked the light as she scuttled over to the bars that separated the benders. Shuddering when the cold bars touched her skin.

"What time is it?" Yawning as she asked.

Looking out the tiny window above them, Zuko answered. "It's about mid-day, and here. You missed _'breakfast'_." He said sarcastically. Arms chained behind his back, he kicked over a small plate of food. "It's not much, but you haven't eaten the past few days. You've mostly slept."

"That's because I finally got the time to relax without worrying about Azula." Reaching for the scrapes, she ate it eagerly. "Thanks."

"No problem." The firebender watched her. There wasn't much in the bowl; it consisted of stale pieces of bread, a couple of expired vegetables, and maybe a tiny cut of dry meat. But she ate it eagerly. Then his eye's were drawn to her arms, lingering on the light pink scars that covered them. "I'm sorry, for what she did to you."

Wiping her mouth, she placed her hands on her shoulders. "It's not your fault. You would've beaten her if she didn't attack me." She paused, looking at him. "You're strong, you know, you're not as weak as you think. There's no doubt in my mind, you would've won."

Zuko stared at her, seeing that her ocean blue eyes spoke the truth. "Thanks, you're not so bad yourself."

Katara laughed. Pulling her legs to her chest, she tried her best to take her mind off the fate that awaited her in the coming days. She was unsuccessful.

"How much longer until we get to the Earth Kingdom." She asked.

"I think we'll arrive some point tomorrow, possibly by tonight if they go full speed." He replied knowingly, "Then it'll take a few days to get from the port to Ba Sing Se."

"So...we've got less than a week to live." Clenching her legs tighter she rested her chin on her knees. "Do you think he'll come?"

"If he's alive, yes."

"Do you think he's alive?" She whispered.

Hesitant, he looked down, "I–I don't think so..."

"He had to be!" She burst, "Otherwise why would she do this?"

"Because she _can_ , Katara! You know the kind of person Azula is. She's ruthless and a tyrant!"

"I know that! I just can't—I can't help but believe, that without a reason, she wouldn't do this. Aang _has_ to be alive. He just has to be..."

"But what if he isn't?"

The waterbender buried her head, hiding her tears, "I don't know."

* * *

"Come on you two, get up!"

Standing, Zuko helped Katara up and then put out his hands. She did the same, the guards strapping them both in cuffs and led them out of the carriage.

"Where are we?" He asked.

"We entered the gates of Ba Sing Se, just outside the lower level of the city. We have orders to walk you through to the palace."

"In other words, my sister wants to show us off. To humiliate us." He said dryly.

"Yes, you Highness."

Realizing his mistake, the soldier quickly left the two. The teenager nodded, guiding the half-asleep waterbender beside him. "Katara," he whispered, "It's time to get up, we're here."

She murmured in response and yawned, "Okay, I'm up. I'm up."

He smiled, and held out his hand. "Come on, let's get this over with."

Taking the warm hand, she stood next to him as they walked through the city, Fire Nation soldiers marching on all sides. Both prisoners kept their heads high. It wasn't long before they came to a street Zuko recognized, around the corner was the Jasmine Dragon. He smiled at the place, the peaceful memories they contained, the ones that should've been made. They soon passed it, on to the next street, and the next.

"Lee?! LEE!"

Startled, the firebender looked through the crowd. Searching for the voice calling his false name. And there she stood, the Earth Kingdom girl, the one he spent a wonderful night with. Standing high on the ledge of the water fountain she'd brought him to. Catching her eye as he walked, a look of confusion and pity covered her face.

"Jin..." He turned away, ashamed. He never wanted her to find out his secret.

The sun was close to setting when the party arrived at the palace. The guards led the exhausted benders to their cell, with the binds still on, they were roughly pushed into the small room. Katara fell with a thud, lying still on the floor. Zuko quickly went to her side, carefully lifting her up.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just tired."

A small noise caught the firebender's attention. Looking behind him, a young man with brown hair and dark skin occupied the far corner. Seeing the familiar features, realization hit him.

"Sokka?"

"Wha-?" Twirling her head, the waterbender looked at the new prisoner. Her eyes widened with recognition. "It can't be!" Finding new strength, she ran to her brother.

"SOKKA!" she threw her hands around his neck, crying. "I can't believe you're here!"

The boy didn't move, limp in her embrace.

Concerned, the bender backed away slightly, "Sokka? What's wrong?"

He sat there completely still, Moments passed before he spoke. "He's not coming..."

"What? What do you mean?"

The Wolf Warrior looked at his sister, "Aang, I'm talking about Aang! He's not coming."

Her breathing shallowed, shaking her head in disbelief. "No, you're wrong! Of course Aang's coming. Why would you say that?"

"Because he's dead, Katara." He said darkly.

"No—NO! He can't, that the whole reason why we're here. We're the bait! He'll be here!"

"KATARA! He won't"

Zuko was quickly by her side, doing his best to restrain and calm the girl. Knowing the truth she denied all this time was coming to light—It would break her.

"WHY!?" She cried, trying to fight the firebender off her. "Why are you saying this?"

" _BECAUSE!_ " He yelled. "I saw it!" His body shook with anger, "I saw Ozai kill him!"

* * *

 **So this might be the last chapter for a bit. The next chapter's the last one I wrote originally, so the rest are gonna take longer. I was gonna post this one next week (since I posted three chapters within two days), but I wanted to get this note out sooner rather than later. Anyway, stick around!**


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